Rosuvastatin

About rosuvastatin

Lipids, or fats, are made naturally in your body from the food you eat. They are easily stored in your body and serve as a source of energy. Cholesterin and triglycerides are types of lipid. If the concentration of these lipids in your blood becomes too high, it leads to a condition called Hyperlipidämie. If it is the concentration of cholesterol which has become too high, it is called Hypercholesterinämie. Although a high blood concentration of lipids will not make you feel ill, it can cause a problem if it is left untreated.

People with high lipid levels can develop small fatty patches called Atherom. These patches develop when excess fat is deposited on to the walls of blood vessels. Over time, these patches can make a blood vessel narrower and this is called atherosclerosis (sometimes referred to as 'hardening of the arteries'). The narrowing reduces the blood flow through the artery and increases the risk of a number of heart and blood vessel diseases, such as Herzinfarkt und Schlaganfall.

Rosuvastatin belongs to a group of medicines known as statins (or HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors). It regulates the amount of cholesterol and other lipids made by your body. It does this by blocking the action of a certain enzyme (called HMG-CoA reductase) which your body needs to make the fats. This lowers your risk of heart and blood vessel disease. It can also reduce this risk, even if your cholesterol levels are normal, if you are at an increased risk of heart disease.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking rosuvastatin it is important that your doctor knows:

• Wenn Sie schwanger sind, versuchen, schwanger zu werden oder stillen.

• Wenn Sie Probleme mit der Funktion Ihrer Leber haben oder in der Vergangenheit an einer Erkrankung gelitten haben, die Ihre Leber betroffen hat.

• Wenn Sie eine unteraktive Schilddrüse haben.

• Wenn Sie Probleme mit unerklärlichen Muskelschmerzen oder -beschwerden haben oder wenn Sie (oder ein naher Verwandter) jemals eine Muskelerkrankung hatten.

• Wenn Sie regelmäßig große Mengen Alkohol trinken.

• Wenn Sie Probleme mit der Funktionsweise Ihrer Nieren haben.

• Wenn Sie jemals eine allergische Reaktion auf ein Medikament hatten.

• If you are taking any other medicines. This includes any medicines you are taking which are available to buy without a prescription, as well as herbal and complementary medicines.
  

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about rosuvastatin and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take rosuvastatin once each day, exactly as your doctor tells you to. You will be started on a dose of 5 mg or 10 mg daily. If you are of Asian origin or over 70 years old, you will need to take the lower 5 mg dose to start with. Some other people will also need to take this lower dose at first. Your doctor will increase your dose after four weeks of treatment if this is considered necessary. There are several strengths of tablet available, so your doctor will tell you which strength is right for you.

• You can take rosuvastatin at a time of day to suit you. You should, however, try to take your doses at the same time of day each day. Swallow the tablet with a drink of water. You can take rosuvastatin before or after food.

• If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If you do not remember until the following day, miss out the forgotten dose. Do not take two doses at the same time to make up for a forgotten dose.

• Try to keep your regular appointments with your doctor. This is so that your doctor can check on your progress. You will need to have some blood tests from time to time. These are to measure your lipid levels and also to check that your liver has not been affected by taking rosuvastatin.

• Your doctor will give you advice about eating a healthy diet, cutting down on the amount of alcohol you normally drink, reducing the amount of salt in your diet, stopping smoking, and taking regular exercise. Following this advice will also help you to reduce your risk of developing heart and blood vessel disease.

• Women taking rosuvastatin must avoid getting pregnant. Make sure you have discussed with your doctor which types of contraception are suitable for you and your partner.

• Some antacids can reduce the amount of rosuvastatin your body absorbs, so if possible, avoid taking indigestion remedies during the two hours before or during the two hours after you have taken rosuvastatin.

• Treatment with rosuvastatin is usually long-term unless you experience an adverse effect. You should continue to take the tablets regularly.

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with rosuvastatin, although these tend to be mild. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. Unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Wenn Sie andere Symptome bemerken, die Ihrer Meinung nach auf die Tabletten zurückzuführen sein könnten, sprechen Sie mit Ihrem Arzt oder Apotheker für weitere Ratschläge.

• Bewahren Sie alle Medikamente außerhalb der Reichweite und Sicht von Kindern auf.

• An einem kühlen, trockenen Ort aufbewahren, fern von direkter Hitze und Licht.